The distance a scanner is able to receive varies based on the type of scanner, the location of the radio, and many other factors. A portable scanner inside a home may only receive 10 miles or so. A base station scanner with a back-of the-set antenna slightly more. A scanner connected to an outdoor antenna often will receive double or triple these ranges. If you have a portable scanner inside a car, the metal roof of the car will attenuate the signal you're trying to receive. A mobile scanner
antenna mounted outside of the car with a magnetic or other type of mount will significantly increase the distance you can hear and the clarity of most stations.

The distance a scanner will receive depends on many factors including your elevation; the frequency, elevation, transmitter power, and tower height of the transmitting station; the terrain and buildings in your area; whether cellular, paging and other transmitters in your area; whether the system you're monitoring is a wide-area network, and more. Every area and every situation differs. Go to scannermaster.com for antennas, pre-amplifiers and other hardware that will help you increase the
range you are able to receive.

The information for the state and counties listed below is the best information on-hand but cannot be guaranteed to be 100% accurate. Radio frequencies and systems change over time. Some areas have limited reporting on the types of radio systems in use. You may wish to check with local residents and authorities to verify the information below.

View and Compare your Scanner Options

It is 100% legal in the United States to purchase, own and operate a scanner radio with a very few minor exceptions. We note that because radio law sometimes, but extremely rarely, changes, and because we are not attorneys, you should check your state, local and federal laws if you have any concerns.

There are a few states that have laws on the books regarding the use of scanners in motor vehicles. Kentucky, Indiana, New York and Florida come to mind. There are a few additional states where it's illegal to use a scanner in the furtherance of a crime. Click these links below (which may or may not be up-to-date) for further information:

It is illegal to intercept cordless phone communications (most cordless phones today are spread spectrum and cannot be monitored anyway. It's also illegal to monitor cellular phone conversations and for the last 10+ years the major scanner manufacturers, by federal law, have not produced a scanner capable of monitoring the cell phone band. At any rate, because 99.9% of all cell phone calls now are CDMA, GSM and other highly advanced types of digital (not APCO-25 digital), cell phone calls
couldn't be intercepted anyway.

It is also illegal to decrypt encrypted communications. Most public safety communications that use DVP/DES and other types of highly-sophisticated encryption couldn't be decrypted without years of work and a supercomputer anyway. Luckily, relatively few public safety agencies in the U.S. use such systems. In other parts of the world, particularly we know in Europe, the public safety radio systems cannot be monitored.

Scanners are a well regarded and respected tool for the news media, public safety agencies themselves, and for the general public. Americans like to be in the know. They like to be aware of what's going on around them and they like to help the police and fire services whenever possible, by reporting crime, fire, and the like. Knowing what the local authorities are doing and perhaps helping (without interfering -- very important) after having heard something on-the-air, benefits us all.

So scanners are completely legal to own in your home, on your person, and, in almost all states, in your vehicle. They help you build a healthy respect for the job our public servants our doing while at the same time keeping you in the know. Buy a scanner radio today and be informed and enjoy!